Local resident Isaac
Rosa was then arrested for illegally operating the drone, which
was outfitted with a GoPro camera. He was charged with reckless
endangerment and obstructing government administration on
Wednesday, CBS reported.

The man was later arraigned and released on a bail of $1,500.

“I am very disappointed that they are trying to make an
example out of me,” Rosa told the New York Post. “At the end of the day,
this is not an illegal activity.”

New York Police Commissioner Bill Bratton said at a swearing-in
ceremony in July that he was concerned about the “terrorism
component” regarding drones, raising concern over the idea
of “somebody out there effectively joyriding with the
drone.”

“I don’t care if that’s through a drone or on the
ground,” added New York Mayor Bill de Blasio at the time.
“It’s a common-sense matter: when you see an NYPD vehicle, an
NYPD helicopter, stay out of the way.”

The government may be the most well-known user of drones, but
private businesses and individuals are also expressing a lot of
interest in UAVs. Scientists, real estate companies, and
advertising groups are increasingly using them in their work, as
well as amateurs and artists who are interested in exploring the
new devices.

The trouble is that legislation regarding their use is currently
imprecise and vague.

The Federal Aviation Administration is drawing up laws concerning
the use of drones, but those are not expected until September
2015. One of the few guidelines outlined is dubbed the “model
aircraft” policy, which prohibits the operation of the
remote-controlled devices within five miles of an airport without
first obtaining permission.

Under the same rules, drones cannot be used anywhere for
commercial purposes, and can be flown by hobbyists only inside
parks, no higher than 400 feet, and within sight of their
operators, according to the New York Post.

Other people have also been arrested and charged for operating
drones. Earlier this month, a man was arrested for piloting a
drone near the US Open at the National Tennis Center in Queens.

Two men were also arrested and charged with reckless endangerment
in July for flying drones near the George Washington Bridge, when
those also nearly collided with an NYPD helicopter.